New jobs? Don't count on it

Can't imagine that anyone is surprised that the "stimulus" is a political grab for power; here's point 6 of Jan. 24's Morning Bell from the Heritage Foundation.

"While President Obama has said the stimulus could create as many as 3 million jobs, Speaker Pelosi said yesterday that 4 million jobs will be created or saved. Yet, when pressed by Congressman Camp (R-MI) this week, Tax Committee Staffer Thomas Barthold could only shrug and admit that they had no estimates that any jobs or economic growth would be created by this legislation. [There's a video of this, but I haven't been able to view it.]

Some legislators are beginning to catch on to the left's game. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says he opposes the Medicaid bailout "because some governors would use the money to mask poor decisions in other portions of their budgets." Rep. Heath Shuler (D-TN) claims "he is concerned about returning fiscal responsibility to Washington" and says the stimulus bill "can’t be the pet projects of the House and Senate."

It's time to wake up. This stimulus bill is nothing but the permanent implementation of the pet projects of the House and Senate. And that is exactly why Speaker Pelosi doesn't want you to know what's in it, and certainly doesn't want it to be debated. "We're on our timetable." she said unapologetically yesterday. There is nothing temporary about any of the spending increases in this bill. They are all designed to make the American people more dependent on the federal government. And there is nothing stimulating about that. Let's hope they get on the timetable of the American people before it is too late."